The Dow Jones industrial average held onto a gain of 17.95 points, or 0.1%, to 17,938.28. The Dow was up as much as 82 points earlier.

The S&P 500 rose 2.72 points, or 0.1%, to 2,112.13. The Nasdaq composite, which is heavily weighted with biotech companies, lost 6.96 points, or 0.1%, to 4,961.75.

Benchmark U.S. crude oil added 67 cents, or 1.3%, to 50.36 dollars a barrel in New York. Oil has not closed at 50 dollars a barrel or higher since July 21. Brent crude, which is used to price international oils, added 89 cents, or 1.8%, to 51.44 dollars a barrel in London.

The dollar plunged following Friday's jobs report as investors concluded that the Fed will not raise interest rates any time soon. That has helped energy companies by putting upward pressure on the price of crude oil. Industrial companies have also had a good run.

"When you get a Fed that is now perceived to be lower for longer (on interest rates), with a dollar that is less likely to rally, and an economy that may be slowing but is not in recession, that has tended to be a positive for those stocks in 2016," said Julian Emanuel, US equities and derivatives strategist for UBS.

Bond prices rose, sending the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note down to 1.72% from 1.74%. That made bonds less appealing, and sent income-seeking investors into phone company stocks. Verizon added 1.04 dollars, or 2.1%, to 51.75 dollars.

Two biotech drugmakers tumbled after important drugs failed in clinical testing. Biogen, which makes several treatments for multiple sclerosis, said a potential drug called opicinumab failed in a mid-stage clinical trial. Its stock dropped 36.98 dollars, or 12.8%, to 252.86 dollars.

Alexion Pharmaceuticals said a study of its drug Soliris failed, and its stock lost 16.86 dollars, or 10.9%, to 138.13 dollars. The company gets almost all of its revenue from Soliris, which is approved to treat two rare blood disorders, and an additional approval could have strengthened its sales. Both Biogen and Alexion have plunged by about one-third since July.

Canadian drugmaker Valeant Pharmaceuticals disclosed its delayed quarterly results and cut its profit and revenue estimates for the year. Its stock gave up 4.21 dollars, or 14.6%, to 24.64 dollars, and it is down 90% since mid-September.

Banks took more losses, as the prospect of lower interest rates suggested diminished profits. Goldman Sachs lipped 1.89 dollars, or 1.2%, to 155.17 dollars and Morgan Stanley gave up 33 cents, or 1.2%, to 26.52 dollars.

Organic and speciality foods distributor United Natural Foods posted a larger-than-expected profit in its fiscal third quarter, and the company raised its projections for the year. Its stock jumped 5.45 dollars, or 14%, to 44.28 dollars.

Real estate information website Zillow said will pay 130 million dollars to settle a lawsuit brought by competitor Move Inc Move, which is owned by News Corp, said Zillow hired two of its executives and obtained trade secrets that helped the Zillow buy another rival, Trulia, in 2014. Move said it would seek as much as 1.8 billion dollars in damages. Zillow Group stock gained 1.74 dollars, or 5.7%, to 32.07 dollars.